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Learn Java for Android Development book question

 
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Welcome Jeff Friesen,

I have gone through the contents of the book . I just wanted to know whats the difference between a core java book and this book. As a Java EE developer I would like to learn something related to android . But the contents seem to be similar to core java. From chapter 10 onwards is there anything specific to android development . Does "Accessing databases" explains JDBC code or anything else ??

Thank you
-Shiva
 
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Hi Shiva,

When Apress approached me to write the first edition of this book, they gave me a title -- "Learn Java for Android Development" -- and that was it. I struggled to come up with a suitable focus, and it occurred to me that I should focus the book on teaching Java language/API basics as a first step into getting into Android development. After all, without Java knowledge, a prospective Android developer isn't likely to succeed.

As well as covering all language features supported by Apache Harmony 6 (on which the latest Android, from a Java perspective, is based), I tried to cover APIs that are useful for Android as well as non-Android applications. As well as helping beginning Android developers by giving them Java basics, this book will help non-Android developers who want to learn about Java.

For the third edition, I decided to provide additional Android content without sacrificing the book's focus on teaching Java language/APIs. In Chapter 1, I provide an introduction to Android in terms of what it is, history, versions, architecture basics, small sample app source code. In Appendix C, I provide a 96-page introduction to Android in terms of tools, architecture topics (e.g., activities, resources, intents, manifest), and sample apps that demonstrate various features from elsewhere in the book (as well as architecture topics discussed earlier in this appendix).

I did not include Appendix C in the book for two reasons:

1) I reached the 1200-page maximum limit.

2) This book's focus is teaching Java language/APIs and I did not want to corrupt this focus by also diving into Android development. For this reason, Appendix C isn't officially part of the book, and yet I felt that I should create it.

You can obtain a free copy of Appendix C by pointing your browser to http://www.apress.com/9781430264545, by clicking the Source Code/Downloads tab, and by clicking the Download Now link. This appendix's PDF file and supporting code are included in the book's code file.

If you happen to visit my web page for this book (http://tutortutor.ca/cgi-bin/makepage.cgi?/books/ljfad), you will notice that there is also an Appendix D, which is currently very small at 8 pages but which will grow over time. I use this appendix to revisit book content (and expand on it), to introduce new material, and to provide errata. I have only found 1 errata item to date.

JDBC is included in the book because the Android API includes the JDBC packages. However, Android favors its own APIs to JDBC, and no longer officially provides a JDBC database driver. I also felt that I should include JDBC for those developers who might want to leverage this technology in web-oriented non-Android software that might communicate with an Android app.

This has been a very difficult book series to put together and I'm glad that this is my final edition. I will continue to develop Appendix D (I plan to discuss security, cryptography, more JDBC, and other topics in it) and periodically post an update on my website.

All the best.

Jeff


 
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